This invention generally relates to seating assemblies for a vehicle and, more particularly, to a front seat assembly and a rear seat assembly which, when used individually or in combination, provide a highly adaptable vehicle interior.
With an ever increasing pressure from automotive consumers, flexibility and adaptability of vehicle interiors is increasingly required in order to provide a vehicle adapted to meet the broad consumer demand. Further, with increased social awareness of a vehicle""s impact on the environment, there is an increasing demand to minimize the overall mass of the vehicle while still meeting the feature requirements of the consumer. One of these demands of the consumer is the ability of the vehicle to carry four passengers during some situations and to maximize cargo room during other situations. Some attempts to meet this demand have included the use of folding rear seat assemblies. These attempts, however, can only provide limited cargo room. For example, French Patent No. 2,572,340 (xe2x80x9cRenaultxe2x80x9d) shows a rear seat assembly that is adapted for nesting behind a front seat assembly by sliding, non-articulating, movement along an inclined track which tends to limit the available cargo space due to the raised track portion.
Accordingly, this invention provides for a front seat assembly and a rear seat assembly, which overcome the problems and disadvantages of the conventional techniques in the art. The invention also provides for a front seat assembly and a rear seat assembly that allows the rear seat assembly to articulate forward and downward and to be stored below and behind the front seat assembly. The invention also provides for a front seat assembly that increases leg and foot room for the occupants of the rear seat assembly.
In one aspect, the invention includes a front seat assembly for a vehicle having a rear seat assembly with a rear seat bottom, including a front seat bottom having a front portion and a rear portion and a support member connected to the front seat bottom and connectable to the vehicle. The support member supports the rear portion of the front seat bottom from the vehicle such that the rear seat bottom may be moved from a use position to a stored position with a forward portion of the rear seat bottom located under the front seat bottom.
In another aspect, the invention includes a rear seat assembly for a vehicle having a front seat assembly with a front seat bottom and a front seat back, including a rear seat bottom having a forward portion and a rearward portion and being connectable to the vehicle for movement between a use position and a stored position. When the rear seat bottom is moved from the use position to the stored position, the forward portion of the rear seat bottom is located under the front seat bottom.
In a further aspect, the invention includes a front seat assembly and a rear seat assembly for a vehicle, including a front seat bottom having a front portion and a rear portion, a rear seat bottom having a forward portion and a rearward portion and being connectable to the vehicle for movement between a use position and a stored position, and a support member connected to the front seat bottom and connectable to the vehicle. The support member supports the rear portion of the front seat bottom from the vehicle such that the rear seat bottom may be moved from the use position to the stored position with the forward portion of the rear seat bottom located under the front seat bottom.